Kandi health block short of ambulances

Shyam Sood

Rajouri, April 17

During the ongoing Covid emergency, Kandi Health Block in Rajouri district is facing shortage of ambulances.

Out of the seven ambulances allotted to various health centres in the block, including two each to Community Health Centre (CHC) at Kotranka (also called Kandi) and to Primary Health Centre (PHC) at Budhal, only three are in working order.

The CHC at Kotranka is an important health centre and provides medical treatment to more than 1.75 lakh people, including residents of Reasi district. One ambulance of the CHC is out of service from a long time while another is also off the road for the past about a month for want of repairs.

Out of the two ambulances from Budhal PHC, one was sent to Jammu to convert it into 108 service facility but it still has not returned. The ambulance allotted to PHC, Tarala, was also sent to the State Health Transport Organisation, Jammu, for repairs about four years ago but has not been sent back. Only three ambulances —one each at Budhal and Piri and the 108 service at Kandi — are in working order at present.